It was just after 3 o’clock in the afternoon on 30th June, 1862 near Glendale, Virginia. Brigadier-General Joseph Hooker looked anxiously to his division’s right flank, where the Pennsylvania Reserve division under Brigadier-General George McCall had been ferociously attacked by Confederate troops. It was becoming apparent that McCall’s men might not be able to hold, and so Major-General Edwin Sumner gave Hooker another regiment to bolster his position. These were the Irish of the 69th Pennsylvania Volunteers; as Sumner left them he told the men to wait until they could see the whites of their enemies eyes, and to aim low. The 69th gave their Corps commander three cheers as he rode off- they would not have long to wait.(1)

The bayonet charge of the 69th Pennsylvania at Glendale, as portrayed in McDermott's 'Brief History' of the Regiment

The 69th Pennsylvania had its genesis in the pre-war Second Regiment, Philadelphia County Militia, a largely Irish unit. The militiamen recruited additional numbers and under the command of Welshman Colonel Joshua T. Owen of Philadelphia, mustered into service for three months as the 24th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers on 15th April 1861. On the expiration of their term, the regiment was reorganised for a period of three years, mustering into service dating from 19th August 1861. They were initially designated the 2nd California, but before long became the 69th Pennsylvania, the name under which they would fight in the Army of the Potomac. The 69th Pennsylvania would never achieve the fame that was enjoyed by their namesakes in the 69th New York, the first regiment of the Irish Brigade. Despite this, they quickly earned a fighting reputation that was the equal of any of the units under Meagher’s command. (2)

The Battle of Glendale was fought as one of Seven Days’ Battles during Major-General George B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. On 30th June the Army of the Potomac was on the retreat, as McClellan attempted to redeploy his forces from around the Chickahominy River southwards to the James River. Confederate General Robert E. Lee planned to smash portions of his Army of Northern Virginia through the Army of the Potomac at Glendale while McClellan’s forces were still on the march, with the aim of splitting the Union force in two. George McCall’s Pennsylvania Reserves were now facing this onslaught, and elements of his force were about to collapse under its weight.

Colonel Owen’s Irishmen were positioned in a ravine at the base of a hill, where they formed line of battle. To their front two Union batteries under the command of Captain Otto Diederichs and Captain John Knieriem were engaged, and the soldiers of the 69th lay down to avoid enemy artillery fire. As McCall’s men succumbed to the pressure of the attack they began streaming to the rear, dashing past the Union batteries which were also forced to retreat, abandoning some of their guns. The broken regiments passed through the lines of the 69th, who now knew they had nothing to their front but victorious Rebel troops. The Confederates were on the heels of the routed men, and made attempts to turn the abandoned artillery pieces on the Irishmen’s line. The 69th laid down a galling fire to prevent this, and decided that it was necessary to retake the cannon. 69th veteran Anthony W. McDermott takes up the story: ‘…taking advantage of the position that the rise of ground gave to us, the regiment instinctively jumped to their feet and advancing in wedge shape, charged up the hill with a cheer, met the enemy at close quarters, drove them from the captured guns and hurled them back on their supporting lines, changing what had been but a short time before seemed to be a disastrous defeat to a glorious victory.’ (3)

The Civil War Trails / Civil War Trust marker describing the charge of the 69th Pennsylvania at Glendale (Photo by Rob Shenk http://www.robertshenk.com)

The bayonet charge of the 69th Pennsylvania in combination with heavy fire from a number of other regiments helped to force back the Confederate attack. Brigadier-General Hooker noted that as the enemy gave way ‘the Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Regiment, heroically led by Owen, advanced in the open field on their flank with almost reckless daring.’ Hooker’s gratitude for the actions of the 69th is made clear in his after action report, in which he thanked Colonel Owen by expressing a ‘high appreciation of his services, and my acknowledgements to his chief for having tendered me so gallant a regiment.’ According to McDermott, Hooker approached the 69th on the field and told them that they had made the ‘first successful bayonet charge of the war, and saved the Army of the Potomac from probable disaster.’ The 69th’s brigade commander Brigadier-General Burns was equally impressed with the Irishmen’s performance: ‘Colonel Owen, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, unsupported, pursued the victorious rebels back over the ground through which they were passing and crowned the crest of the hill where McCall had lost his artillery. Gallant Sixty-ninth! The line followed this noble example, and McCall’s position was held and the enemy discomfited.’ (4)

The 69th Pennsylvania had begun to build the reputation they would enjoy throughout the war, and future actions by the Irishmen, perhaps most notably at Gettysburg, would add to their laurels. However, their success at Glendale came at a price. 13 men of the regiment were listed as killed, with 36 wounded and 5 missing. McDermott lists 8 of the fallen in his Brief History of the 69th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers. They are as follows:

In 2010, 148 years after the Battle of Glendale, the bayonet charge of the Irishmen was honoured by the 69th Pennsylvania ‘Irish Volunteer’ Civil War Reenactors Organisation, which sponsored a historical marker that was placed on a portion of the battlefield acquired by the Civil War Trust. (5)

This victory has caused one of the longest standing misidentifications of an Irish regiment in the Civil War. Many secondary sources will refer to the 69th Pennsylvania as the “Fighting Irish.” However this is not true. The 69th Pennsylvania in the 19th century referred to itself as the “Gallant 69th Pennsylvania.” This nickname was adopted after General Hooker submitted his after-action report and thanked General Burns for lending him such a gallant regiment as the 69th Pennsylvania. Remember, compliments for Irish regiments were dispensed by the WASPish northern press. So General Hooker’s official compliment helped wipe out the newspaper’s nickname of “Paddy Owen’s Irish Regulars.”

Among the most interesting stories connected to the 69th’s victory at Glendale was the wounding and discharge of Lt. Alex Lovett. Lovett was an Irish-American born in Philadelphia.Before the war Lovett ran a gentleman’s tavern on Walnut Street. He was also a lieutenant in the Meagher Guards militia company. When the 24th was activated, Lovett served as a second lieutenant. He was recommissioned a first lieutenant in the 69th Pennsylvania. During the charge against CSA forces, Lovett received a bad shoulder wound that caused his eventual discharge from the 69th Pa. Within a year Lovett had applied for a commission in the VRC. He was stationed in Washington, D.C. After Lincoln’s assassination, Lovett led a group of VCR soldiers to Dr. Samuel Mudd’s house. While there, Lovettt questioned Dr. and Mrs Mudd about the presence of any strangers in the area. Mrs Mudd disappeared for a moment and reappeared with a leather riding boot slit up the side. Lovett took the boot and turned it inside out finding the engraving “J.Wilkes.” This was an abrevation for John Wilkes Booth.—dr. Mudd had set Booth’s leg but Dr. Mudd swore he didn’t know that the man with the broken leg was Booth. Lovett received extra reward money for his find and returned to Philadelphia after the war where he worked as a vetenarian. Lovett is buried in an unmarked grave in New (Catholic) Cathedral cemetery.

Sir. i must correct you about Lieut; Alexander Lovett Co; E; 69th Pa; Inf;. he was not born in America, he was born in County Tyrone Ireland. c;1832 died Philadelphia March 19th 1887. His parents were John and Isabell, he and his brothers and sisters went with thier parents went to America. I have been to Gettysburg and Glendale, we were at Glendale shortley after they they started to clear the site.

New York Herald (02 July 1862?)gave some Joy to the 69th Pa after the batttle:

CHARGE OF THE SIXTY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA

It was in this state of affairs that the Sixty-ninth regiment came up in front of the rebels, and by order of Colonel Owen, charged bayonets on the enemy. The rebels lost their impetuosity at beholding an infantry regiment rushing on their flanks, and turned around to fight. A fierce struggle ensued in which the Sixthy-ninth finally drove the rebels beyond a hill across the hill which they occupied and held. While this was going on the engagements became general along the entire line. Richardson and Sedwick’s divisions , advancing threw back the enemy in all directions. General Hooker, at the head of his division, now came up, observing Colonel Owen in a sharp manner:
“Colonel, where is your regiment?”

“On that hill,” returned Owen, proudly pointing to where his regiment was drawn up in the form of an arc,adorning the crest of the hill.